Force development introduces guide, shares success Published June 19, 2009 By Senior Master Sgt. Kelly Mazezka Air Reserve Personnel Center Public Affairs DENVER -- The Force Development folks at the Air Reserve Personnel Center are making strides to educate Citizen Airmen and increase the effectiveness of their program. One step is the release of their new Resource Guide, geared toward providing a one-stop source of Reserve force development-related information. "We've created an information resource covering several main content areas to cull together the various components of force development into one easy-to-use guide," said Maj. Eric Levesque, force development division chief. It includes information on force development, Reserve Officer Development Plans, Joint credit, promotions, developmental education, assignment facilitation, Web applications and links. The guide can be accessed on the ARPC public site at www.arpc.afrc.af.mil or on the Air Force Portal in the Air Force Reserve Force Development Community of Practice. "Over the past year, the Force Development community has been working hard to mature the program," Major Levesque said. "We've standardized and refined processes. We've involved leadership through the Air Force Reserve Command board of advisers and career field managers' forum. We're developing Air Force Reserve leaders." The force development team has also added assignment facilitators as part of the maturing process. The facilitators help Airmen understand what opportunities are available and provide commanders a deeper candidate pool from which to choose when they have key positions to fill. Assignment facilitators encourage officers in their assigned career field to complete the R-ODP. After a development team meets, the facilitators provide counsel - called vectors - to the Airmen, and then ask, 'Do you understand your vectors?' Finally, they identify Airmen wanting to take action and help them make it happen. In contrast to active duty assignment officers, Reserve assignment facilitators do not force action; they only advise Airmen on options, matching their development team vectors. Assignment facilitator Maj. Doreen Bronner recently played a big part in connecting the right candidate with the right job. When Lt. Col. Lee Mumford, Deputy Commander of the 908th Mission Support Group, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., needed a new military personnel flight commander, he wasn't finding who he wanted from his list of applicants. Then he contacted Major Bronner who created a list of candidates from a recent development team. The list included Capt. Michael McDonald, who at the time was an individual mobilization augmentee at Tyndall AFB, Fla., and had recently separated from active duty. It didn't take Colonel Mumford long to figure out that the captain was the one for the job. "His answers were right on," he said. "His attitude was stellar." Captain McDonald accepted the position and proceeded to make a big impact on the MPF and the unit. "People are operating more efficiently," Colonel Mumford said. "He's wrapped his arms around big issues. He's bringing the MPF to a new level. "I don't know if I could have found a better personnel officer," he said. Colonel Mumford credits Major Bronner and the force development process with finding the right fit. "It's a very thorough process that allows commanders to pick and choose from the best of the best," he said. "I would highly recommend that commanders use that [process] when filling positions. It gives them screened candidates. A lot of the work's been done for you." From the employee's perspective, Captain McDonald was also happy with the help he received from his assignment facilitator. "Major Bronner has been a great asset in facilitating the hiring and on boarding process for me," he said, "as well as following up with me to ensure I was comfortable in the position." Current facilitators and their corresponding Air Force Specialty Codes are: -- Lt. Col. Craig Shenkenberg, 303-676-7853 or DSN 926-7853: CAF, MAF, SOF (lieutenant colonels); AFSCs 11X, 12X, 13B, D, M -- Maj. Stacy Wharton, 303-676-5789 or DSN 926-5789: CAF, MAF, SOF (majors); AFSCs 11X, 12X, 13B, D, M -- Lt. Col. Tavo Tripp (arriving soon), 303-676-6396 or DSN 926-6396: rated/joint; AFSCs 11X, 12X, 13B, D, M -- Capt. Karen Maisel, 303-676-6532 or DSN 926-6532: Space; AFSC13S -- Maj. Kurt Schuh, 303-676-7854 or DSN 926-7854: Intel; AFSC 14N -- Lt. Col. Patricia Pettine, 303-676-7854 or DSN 926-7854: CE, Security Forces, Contracting; AFSCs 32E, 31P, 64P -- Lt. Col. Kim Wheeler, 303-676-7385 or DSN 926-7385: Public Affairs; AFSC 35B, P -- Maj. Doreen Bronner, 303-676-7358 or DSN 926-7358: Force Support; AFSC 38F -- Maj. Tammy Burtschi, 303-676-7853 or DSN 926-7853: Medical Corps, Dental Corps, Medical Services Corps, BSC; AFSCs 41X-45X, 47X-48X -- Maj. Colleen Kelly, 303-676-7854 or DSN 926-7854: Nursing Corps; AFSC 46X -- Majors Trish Borsos and Ralph Giesler, 303-676-7854 or DSN 926-7854: Financial Management; AFSC 65X -- Maj. Heather Morganstern (arriving soon), 303-676-7853 or DSN 926-7853: AFSC 33SX For career fields not listed above, contact Major Bronner.